Do I feel that my life or career is “drifting” from one knowledge-base to another? Am I having to learn a whole new set of skills with each entry-level job, because I have not built and pursued one career goal in my lifetime?

Many times I have asked myself those questions! I had believed that my goal of “employment” was enough to pay my way through life and raise my child. I saw others climb the financial ladder and retire either “comfortably” or “wealthy,” and wondered what was wrong with me….

Yet in today’s employment environment we see highly-paid corporate professionals losing their positions and having to start over, acquire new knowledge–new skills–just to gain “employment” which is usually at a lower income level than before. I have read projections that this might happen to the same person two or even three times before their retirement.

So, nothing is wrong with me. I’m good. I was happy doing what I did. I did not acquire tremendous Student Loan debt to pay off. I had evenings, weekends, and holidays off work to be with my son. I was able to plan for my off-work time, and follow through…well, most of the time, anyway.

The point of all this is that today I was talking with a friend who is facing serious problems, and I was able to reach back into a “job” I worked at more than thirty years ago; to give her that bit of myself in hope of supporting her at this time.

I might not have had that knowledge had I spent my life pursuing one goal, single-mindedly, and with an eye on a “golden parachute” retirement.

So, what is most important to me? Is it all finances? No, it never was. What was important to me, and always has been, that I do my best in whatever capacity I was employed. When each job ended, I always found another.

I have experiences like today with my friend. I have a broad knowledge-base to draw upon now. And when I was in those myriad job positions, I learned at least one thing that has helped someone else in later times.

I can see this working for almost anybody. I was told by one employer that he hired me because of my varied background, not in spite of it! He wanted an employee who was not afraid to step out of the box and do something new.

If you are facing the same questions about your own life/career, please lay them to rest. Do your utmost at every task you do, learn everything you can, and you will be glad you did, both at the time in satisfaction over a job well done and later when some info-bit you have acquired comes in handy!

This thought was inspired by my experience today, and my memory of being in the audience at a seminar where Rich Christiansen spoke about his book, The Zigzag Principle: The Goal Setting Strategy that will Revolutionize Your Business and Your Life Rich Christiansen (Author)